Sizing method and machine



A June 21,1938. C, E @BSCN @2,121,468

SIZING METHOD AND MACHINE OLIVER? E. Ci/BSQN June 21,1938.. o, E, GEES-N 2,121,46@

SIZING METHOD .AND` MACHINE Filed Dec. 25. 1955 2 sheets-sheet '2 Patented June 21, 1938 UNITI-.1o STATESv SIZING METHOD. AND MACHINE 'Oliver E. Gibson, Chicago, Ill., assigner to United States Gypsum Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation ot Illinois Application December 23,1935, Serial No. 55,751 12 Claims. (Cl. 164-65) This invention relates to sizing methods and machines, and has reference more particularly to a method of and machine for changing the Width of sheets of flattened expanded metal to a size suitable for welding to steel shelf frames.

In the manufacture of shelves for mechanical refrigerators', stoves,etc., such as thosedisclosed in patent to A. C. Griffith,- No. 1,961,144, it is difflcultto roll the expanded metal f iat so that the finished size is such that the bonds lie directly over the frame bars to which they are welded. To produce this result, it is desirable to employ a i sizing operation subsequent to the rolling operation, so that the bonds register precisely with the frame bars to which they are welded. An object of this invention therefore, is to provide a method of changing the width of a sheet of flattened expanded metal subsequent to the flattening operation. so that the bonds will register exactly with a steel frame to which they are subsequently welded.

Another object .-of the inventionfis to provide a machine suitable for carrying out the above sizing method; also to improve sizing methods and ina-` chines in other respects hereinafter specified and claimed. 1 l

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which A Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved machine for sizing flattened expanded metal,

'Fig 2 is a sectional elevation through the machine taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1,

-lFig. 3 is a sectional elevation through the machine taken 'on line 34-3 of Fig. l,

Fig. i is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the operating levers of the machine, and

Fig. 5 is perspective view of a iinlshed shelf made by the use of the sized flattened expended metal.

My' improved sizing machine consists of a plurality of spaced slats I0 of metal orother material. which form a table, the ends of said slats being secured on frame members il and i2. Vertical standards i3 support the frame members Il and i2 on the floor i4, said standards being provided with horizontal brace members l5 somewhat above the floor. Edge slats i6 and Il of the table are spaced above angle frame'members I8 and I9, respectively, to receive the ends .of a fixed bar 20 and a slidably mounted bar 2i. A series of fixed pins 22 are secured to the bar 2l), and a series of pins 23 are secured to the bar 2|, said pins extending upwardly between the slats ID to receive the edges of a strip of flattened expanded metal 24 which is to be sized. Each of the pins 22 and 23 engages in one of the loops of the flattened expanded metal so that when the slidable bar 2| is moved toward or away from the fixed bar 20, the width of the expanded metal 24|V 5 is decreased or" increased respectively to exactly the width desired in the nished sheet so that the bonds of the metal register exactly with the shelf frame 26 to be welded thereto to form the finished shelf. -10

In order to` move the bar il longitudinally of `the slats 10,1 provide rock shafts 2l and 2t which are rotatably mounted in bearings 29 secured to the framework of the machine by bolts .30. Levers 3| and 32 are secured to the shafts 2l and 2d, 15 and connecting rods t3 and 3d connect the levers di and 32 to clevises tti and it, respectively,

which are connected by bolts 'il to opposite ends jacent a similar lever tt which is secured to the 25 inner end of shaft it. An outstanding handle di is secured to the outer end of vlever di and a handle it is secured to the outer end of lever dit so that the two handles il and tt are normally'in coaxial relation. A locking pin it extends co- 30 axially through the handle M, its inner end normally engaging in a receiving socket tt formed in the inner end of handle di so as to keep the two handles in coaxial relation to move'both ends of baril an equal distance when Athe levers di and 35 l2 are rocked, thus causing both endsy of the strip of expanded metal it to be stretched or compressed equally. In some cases due toirregularities in the rolling or flattening operation, it is nec- `by manipulating a head it on the outer end of pin t5, the.outer movement of said pin being limited by a stop pin 49 operating in a slot 50 formed in the handle 44. The levers 4| and 'i2 may then be rocked independent-ly to provide the 50 exact sizing result desired. 'I'he workman preferably makes suitable marks or indicia on the tops of the slats Ill to indicatel the finished width of the strip 24 which is desired and the levers 4| and 42 are manipulated until this finished width is ob- 55 l tained, either by compressing or stretching the strip as needed. Connecting rods 33 of different lengths may be substituted in the machine when expanded metal strips 24 of substantially different widths are to be sized. This method of. `sizing produces strips of flattened expanded metal in which the bonds on opposite longitudinal edges are exactly parallel to register exactly with the shelf frame 26 to which they are welded.

I would state in conclusion, that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment ofI my invention, I do not wish to limit myself precisely to these details, since manifestly the same can be considerably varied without departing from the spirit of the inventionY as de- 'ned in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. The method of producing a sheet of sized iiattened expanded metal, which method includes applying along opposite edges of a sheet of fiattened expanded metal, transverse forces acting in the plane of said sheet, said forces being proportioned in directions, points of application and magnitudes to shape said sheet to a predetermined size.

2. The method of producing a sheet of sized flattened expanded metal, which method includes applying at a plurality ofpoints. along opposite edges of a sheet of flattened expanded metal, transverse forces acting in the plane of said sheet, said forces being proportioned in directions, points of application and magnitudes to shape said sheet to a predetermined size.

3. The method of producing a sheet of sized flattened expanded metal, which comprises flattening expanded metal so that all bonds -and strands lie in substantially a single plane, and applying transverse forces acting in the plane of said sheet at each end thereof, said forces being so proportioned in directions and magnitudes as to change the width of each end of said sheet to fit a peripheral frame member.

4. In a machine for sizing a sheet of flattened expanded metal, a series of fixed pins for engaging one ledge of said sheet, -a slidably mounted bar having a series of pins for engaging the opposite edge of said sheet, and means for moving each end of said slidable bar independently of the other end so as to independently change the width of each end of said sheet to a predetermined size.

5. In a machine for sizing a sheet oi'ilattened expanded metal, a series of fixed pins for engaging one edge of said sheet, a slidably mounted bar having a series of pins for engaging thel opposite edge of said sheet, a pair of rock levers, a link connecting each of said levers With an end of said slide bar, and means for ycausing said leversto rock independently or in unison so as to change the width of said sheet to a predetermined size. f

6. In a machine for'sizing a sheet of flattened expanded metal, a series of-flxed pins for' engaging one edge of said sheet, a slidably mounted bar having a series of pins for engaging the opposite edge of said sheet, a pair of rock levers, a link connecting each of said levers with an `end of said' slide bar, said levers being adapted to rock independently so as to change the width of each end of said sheet to a predetermined degree, and means for interlocking said levers together to rock in unison.

7. In a machine for sizing a sheet of flattened expanded metal, fixed means for holding one edge of said sheet, movable means for engaging the opposite edge of said sheet, and means for independently actuating the opposite ends of saidv movable means to change the width of each end of said sheet to a. predetermined degree.

8. 'I'he art of manufacturing shelves of fiattened expanded metal, which comprises providing a peripheral frame vmember of.metal, rolling a sheet of expanded metal to flatten the bonds and strands to produce a sheet having an varea somewhat different than the area of said frame member, sizing said sheet of fiattened expanded metal to an area substantially equal to that of said frame member, by applying to the edges of said sheet transverse forces acting in the plane of said sheet, said forces being proportioned in directions, points of application and magnitudes to shape said sheet to said size and area and securing the edges of said ysheet to said frame member.

9. 'Ihe method of. forming sized sheets of fiattened expanded metal, which comprises slitting a sheet of metal to form strands and bonds, stretching said sheet to open the meshes and produce expanded metal, rolling said sheet to flatten the bonds and strands, and again stretching said flattened sheet yby applying at a plurality of points along opposite edges of said sheet,

transverse forces acting in the plane of said sheet, said forces being proportioned in directions, points of application and magnitudes to shape said sheet to predetermined size and area equal to that of a peripheral frame member.

l0. The method of producing sized sheets of flattened expanded metal, which comprises flattening expanded metal by rolling, and subsequently stretching or compressing the sheet as the case may be by applying at a plurality of points along opposite edges of said sheet, transverse forces acting in the plane of said sheet, said forces being' proportioned in directions, points of application and magnitudes to shape 'said sheet to predetermined size so as to fit a peripheral frame.

1l. The method of producing sized sheets of flattened expanded metal produced by rolling standard expanded metal, which comprises compressing the sheet by applying along opposite edges of said sheet. transverse forces acting in the plane of said sheet, said forces being proportioned in directions, points of application and magnitudes to shape said sheetl to a predetermined size so as to fit a peripheral frame.

12. In a machine for sizing a sheet of flattened Aexpanded metal, means for holding each edge of said sheet, and means for independently changing the distance between said holding means at each end thereof so as to stretch or to contract said sheet as the case may be, so that the width ofsaid sheet is changed to a predetermined degree'.4 i

OLIVER E. GIBSON. 

